Reversals - go back to the lesson of the previoius card in the suit

[Sulis]

HI Folks,

I've just finished reading 'Mastering the tarot' by Paul Fenton-Smith. I love his books, mainly because he uses the same elemental correspondences for the court cards as I do (not the generally accepted Golden Dawn ones)

In this book he suggests that when a card comes up reversed (not a court card) you should look to the lesson of the previous card in the suit or the previous major card. Doing this helps you to release the blockage that the reversal points to.

It sounds so simple and it is. I'm finding it very useful in my readings.

For example - if you get an Ace of Swords reversed this could indicate that the clear thoughts and new ideas signified by the upright ace are somehow being blocked. To release the block go back to the message of the 10 of swords.
Maybe your mind is muddled and you can't yet accept the gift of clear thought offered by the ace because you haven't quite worked through and released the problems indicated in the 10 - you'll need to work on this before that ace can be righted.

Yesterday I got Death reversed as my daily card - I'm resisting or blocking great and necessary change. The answer could lie in the lesson of the Hanged Man - I need to go with things, surrender myself to the change, try to look at things differently, from a new perspective.

Thoughts anyone?

Does anyone else incorporate the message of the previous card into their readings when using reversals?

Love

Sulis xx

 

[poivre]

Thanks!

I use reversals as blocks sometimes But the block was still confusing.
What was causing the block?

I like your findings for blocks and will use it.

 

[Imagemaker]

I'd heard this before but forgotten it. It makes such total sense to me as one way to see subtleties of the reversed card.

 

[PlatinumDove]

Wow, that's a great way of looking at a reversal.

 

[hedgecub]

I've never heard of this way of interpreting reversals, but this information comes at an opportune time as I have just recently started to practise reading with reversals. It does make a lot of sense when I think about it, especially when considering the numbered cards in a suit as a progression of events, as in Thirteen's tarot card meanings.

Thanks for the tip; I shall remember this and incorporate it into my readings from now on.

 

[Nevada]

Sulis, that's so simple, and yet profoundly useful. Thanks!

Nevada

 

[tarobones]

online anywhere?

I really like the theory too. I was wondering, is there an online resource or must we purchase the book to learn more? What do we do with Pages reversed? does that revert to the 10? it's an intriguing and wonderful possibility, especially as has been noted, when we use the progression as taught by Thirteen's AT course! BB, Michael

 

[Emeraldgirl]

Sulis that's a fantastic way to deal with reversals. i think I will definately be keeping it in mind in future.

 

[kerri28]

Yes I agree, it is a great way of looking at the solution for a block. Thanks for that will keep it in mind next time I get a reversed card.

 

[Mimers]

Makes so much sense and is usefull to see what you can do in order to move on. I just did a reading for someone that was almost all reversals. I think I will go back and relook.